Set up an IPCS environment

Description

The interactive problem control system (IPCS) is a tool in the BCP that provides formatting and analysis support for dumps and traces. You must set up an IPCS environment so that you can process any dumps taken on the newly-built z/OS® system.

Table 1 provides more details about this migration action. Use this information to plan your changes to the system.

Table 1. Information about this migration action
Element or feature: Multiple.
When change was introduced: General migration action not tied to a specific release.
Applies to migration from: z/OS V2R1 and z/OS V1R13.
Timing: Before the first IPL of z/OS V2R2.
Is the migration action required? Yes, if the target system cannot be used for native IPCS and usage of IPCS for information produced by the target system is necessary.
Target system hardware requirements: None.
Target system software requirements: None.
Other system (coexistence or fallback) requirements: The version and release level of IPCS must match the level of the system that produced the dump. You must use the z/OS MVS libraries of IPCS code, for example, to analyze a dump or trace produced by that level of the z/OS MVS system.
Tip: If it is necessary to have unique IPCS data set names for your current system (because you already have the IPCS data sets with similar names on your earlier system), you can create a unique alias in your catalog that resolves to the current IPCS data sets. This will allow you to have duplicately-named IPCS data sets that are uniquely referenced.

When using unique aliases, you might have to update the security definition for the unique high-level qualifier used in the catalog.
Restrictions None.
System impacts: None.
Related IBM® Health Checker for z/OS check: None.

Steps to take

Set up an IPCS environment; for guidance, see the documents that are listed in Reference information. During setup, ensure that your logon procedure points to the target system's level of IPCS data sets, which are shown in Table 2.

Note: As of z/OS V1R13, it is enforced that GTF data cannot be properly formatted or used on a system that is a different level from the system on which it was gathered. Plan on using the IPCS level associated with the GTF data that you collect.
Table 2. IPCS data set requirements for a logon procedure or DD name allocation
DD name Data set name Notes
IATTABL SYS1.SIATTBL0, if applicable This is a JES3 data set.
IPCSPARM
Note: This DD name is needed if one of the following is true:
  • The system on which the dump was taken has different BCP and JES levels than the system on which the dump will be examined using IPCS.
  • You have not specified these data sets in your system's parmlib concatenation.
 SYS1.PARMLIB This is the data set that contains all the shipped z/OS V2R2 parmlib IPCS members. If the copies of BLSCECT and all the other IPCS members are not at z/OS V2R2 level, then IPCS might fail when you attempt to use it.
IPCSPARM SYS1.SHASPARM, if applicable This is a JES2 data set.
IPCSPARM SYS1.SIATPARM, if applicable This is a JES3 data set.
ISPMLIB SYS1.SBLSMSG0  
ISPMLIB SYS1.SIATMSG0, if applicable This is a JES3 data set.
ISPPLIB SYS1.SBLSPNL0  
ISPPLIB SYS1.SHASPNL0, if applicable This is a JES2 data set.
ISPPLIB SYS1.SIATPNL0, if applicable This is a JES3 data set.
ISPSLIB SYS1.SBLSKEL0  
ISPTLIB SYS1.SBLSTBL0  
STEPLIB
Note: This DD name is needed if the system on which the dump was taken has different BCP and JES levels than the system on which the dump will be examined using IPCS.
 SYS1.MIGLIB  
STEPLIB SYS1.SIEAMIGE This data set was added in z/OS V1R7. It is a PDSE data set that complements SYS1.MIGLIB. This data set is used along with SYS1.MIGLIB for IPCS.
STEPLIB SYS1.SHASMIG, if applicable This is a JES2 data set.
STEPLIB SYS1.SIATMIG, if applicable This is a JES3 data set.
SYSEXEC SYS1.SIATCLI0, if applicable This is a JES3 data set.
SYSPROC SYS1.SBLSCLI0  

Reference information

For more information, see the following references:
Parent topic: Migration actions for everyone before the first IPL of z/OS V2R2